Books in Brief: Nonfiction

By Michael Anderson

Published: November 29, 1998

FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME

My Story.

By Michael Jordan.

Crown, $50.

Michael Jordan, the ultimate corporate sports star, has taken a page from Dennis Rodman, the ultimate renegade sports star. In his lavish picture-book autobiography, Jordan borrows the visual tics Rodman employed in his books: garish graphics, disconnected text with POINTLESS CAPITALIZATIONS, narcissistic self-absorption (though Jordan lacks Rodman's saving sense of self-mockery). In ''For the Love of the Game,'' Jordan settles scores with former teammates, coaches and franchise officials of the Chicago Bulls, and explains why the most transcendent presence ever to grace a basketball court happened to have the initials M.J. His legions of fans will doubtless be grateful for this chance to share in Jordan's early Christmas present to himself. Michael Anderson